Adjustable bed slat



May 19, 1959 T. MITCHELL ETAL ADJUSTABLE BED SLAT Filed Feb. 2B. 1957 INVEN TORS.

United States Patent() ADJUSTABLE BED SLAT Tony Mitchell, Brooklyn, andGerhard Schroeter, Laurelton, N.Y.

Application February 28, 1957, Serial No. 643,069

5 Claims. (Cl. 5-236) The present invention relates generally toadjustable bed slats, and in particular to a metallic adjustable bedslat for use on beds having either metal or wood bed rails.

In an attempt to overcome the problems attendant to employing wood bedslats which must be cut and fit to the spacing between the rails of thebed frame, it has been suggested that bed slats be constructed of two ormore members telescoped with respect to each other and adjustable to aprescribed width. Such adjustable bed slats are available on the marketand embody hollow channel members, one telescoped within the other andsuitably formed at their outermost ends for engagement with the rails ofthe bed.

Broadly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvedbed slat suitable for use on metallic bed rails. Specifically, it iswithin the contemplation of the present invention to provide anadjustable bed slat which may be used alternatively on metal or woodrails by a simple manual manipulation and transposition of parts.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating features ofthe present invention, an adjustable bed slat is provided for usebetween opposed bed rails which slat is adapted to support a spring andmattress. The slat comprises first and second members arranged intelescopic relation relative to each other for extensile and retractilemovement to various positions of adjustment. Cooperating pawl andratchet means are provided on the trst and second members arranged tonormally permit said extensile and retractile movement and adapted tolock the first and second members in various positions ot adjustment inresponse to downward loading of the pawl and ratchet means by the weightof the spring and mattress bearing against the tirst and secondtelescoped members. Accordingly, the slat may be placed between the bedrails and upon being adjusted to a prescribed length may be locked inits adjusted position by merely placing the spring and mattress onto thebed frame.

Advantageously, provision may be made for adapting the adjustable bedslat for use on wood bed rails. To this end, the innermost andtelescoped ends of the bed slat are provided with cleats which aredisposed inwardly of the opposite ends of the bed slat when the same isused upon metal bed rails; by the mere separation of the first andsecond telescoped members, turning each end for end, and reengaging themembers, the cleats may be disposed outermost and in position for bitingengagement with the wood bed rails.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features andadvantages of the present invention, may be best appreciated byreference to the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a typical bed frame having supportedbetween the side rails thereof adjustable bed slats constructed inaccordance with the present invention, a box spring and mattress beingshown by the broken lines;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view,

ice

with parts broken away and sectioned, showing a portion of an adjustablebed slat supported on a metal rail and illustrating the details of thepawl and ratchet locking means on the telescope members of said slat;and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3-3 ofFig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, the pawl beingillustrated as being engaged in the ratchet in response to loading ofthe bed slat by the box spring and the mattress.

Referring now specifically to Fig. 1, there is shown a typical, butillustrative, bed frame 10 which includes opposed metal side rails 12,14 adapted to support a box spring and mattress, shown in phantom anddesignated use on wooden bed rails, as indicated by the referencenumeral 20 in Fig. l. The slats 20 include an inner or` rst channelmember 22 and an outer or second channel member 24 arranged intelescopic relation relative to each other, the inner channel member 22having its end 22a extending into the adjacent end 24a of the outerchannel member 24. Each of the channel members 22, 24 islessentiallyC-shaped in construction and is formed of sheet metal of a gaugeadequate to assure the requisite structural strength. Each of theC-shaped channel members 22, 24 includes base sections 22e, 24e`disposed in confronting and abutting relation relative to each other,opposed leg sections 22d, 24d depending from the opposite side edges ofthe respective base sections, and inwardly directed flange sections 22e,24e on the lowermost ends of the opposed leg sections.

The rst and second C-shaped channel members 22, 24 are provided withcooperating pawl and ratchet means 26, 28 on confronting portionsthereof which are arranged to normally permit the extensile andretractile movement of the members and constructed so that the membersmay be locked in various positions of adjustment in response to downwardloading of the pawl and ratchet by the weight of the spring 16 and themattress 18 engaged upon the bed slats which are supported on the rails12, 14. The pawl 26 is formed on the base section 24C of the channelmember 24 at a location adjacent the end 24a and is in the form of adepressed tongue stamped out from the springy material of the basesection of the channel member 24. The ratchet 2S includes a number ofratchet openings and teeth stamped in the base section 22e of thechannel member 22, each having a prole substantially complementary tothe stamped -tongue 26 whereby the tongue or pawl may be selectivelyengaged in successive ones of the ratched teeth in various positions ofadjustment of the telescoped members 22, 24.

The channel members 22, 24 and the respective pawl and ratchet means 26,28 are -dimensioned relative to each other so that there is provided aclearance between the pawl and the ratchet enabling the pawl to rideover the ratchet openings and telescoped members to be moved relative toeach other in either direction when the members `are substantiallyco-linear. However, upon loading of the bed slat 2t) in response to theplacing of the box spring and mattress onto the bed frame, the membersare deflected from a co-linear to an angular disposition and the basesection 24a` is urged into bearing engagement with the base section22:.` and the pawl or tongue 26 engages in the underlying ratchet toothand is locked therein by the downward loading.

The use of the bed slat 20 may be best: appreciated by considering theshowing of Figs. 1 and 2 wherein the ends 2211, 2411 of the channelmembers 22, 24 are disassess?,

posed outermost. The members 22, 24 `are extended relative to each otherinto the prescribed position of their extensile movement in whichposition the end portions of the members 22, 24 bear against and aresupported by the rails l2, ld, which in this form of the invention areillustrated as being angle irons. Thereupon, the box spring and mattressare placed upon the one or more adjusted slats and the weight of suchbox spring and mattress achieves the required downward loading andlocking action.

When the present improved bed slat is to be employed on rails of Wood,the end 22a of the channel member 22 is withdrawn from the end 24a ofthe channel member 24. Thereupon, the channel members are each turnedend for end, that is through 180, and the end 22b of the channel member22 is engaged within the end 24h of the channel member 24. This adjustedposition is illustrated in Fig. l by the reference numeral 20'. For useon wood bed rails, the slat 20 is provided with cleats 30, 32 formed onthe ends 22a, 24a of the channel members 22, 24. As seen in thedrawings, the cleats 32 are in the form of downwardly directed V-shapedteeth which are formed by cutting out portions in the leg sections andange sections of the respective channel members. When the cleats 30, 32are disposed outermost they may be engaged into wood bed rails. When thecleats bite into such wood bed rails they effectively lock the bed slatin the prescribed position of adjustment.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended 'in theforegoing disclosure. In some instances some features of the inventionwill be used without a corresponding use of othervfeatures. Accordingly,it is appropriate that the claims be construed broadly and in a mannerin accordance with the spirit and scope of the disclosure herein.

What We claim is:

'1. An adjustable bed slat for use between opposed bed rails and adaptedto support a spring and mattress comprising rst and second membersarranged in telescopic relation relative to each other for extensile andretractile movement to various positions of adjustment, and cooperatingpawl and ratchet means on confronting portions of said first and secondmembers arranged to normally permit said extensile and retractilemovement and locking said first and second members in said variouspositions of adjustment in response to downward loading of said pawl andratchet means by the weight of said spring and mattress whereby the pawlengages in the ratchet, said pawl and ratchet means including a seriesof ratchet openings provided on the confronting portion of one of saidmembers and a pawl fabricated of a springy material rigidly connected tothe confronting portion of the other of said members to project at anangle therefrom such that said pawl rides over said series of ratchetopenings in either direction in response to eXtensile and retractilemovement of said members when said members are disposed substantiallycolinearly and such that said pawl engages said ratchet openings to locksaid members when said members are moved from a substantially colineardisposition to an angular disposition in response to downward loadingthereof by a spring and mattress.

2. An adjustable bed slat for use between opposed metal bed rails andadapted to support a spring and mattress comprising first and secondC-shaped channel members arranged in telescopic relation relative toeach other for extensile and retractile movement to various positions ofadjustment, each of said C-shaped channel members including a basesection, opposed leg sections depending from said base section andinwardly directed ange sections on said -leg sections, and cooperatingpawl and ratchet means on confronting portions of the base sections ofsaid first and second C-shaped channel members arranged to normallypermit said eXtensile and retractile movement and locking said C-shapedchannel '4mm I members in said various positions of adjustment inresponse to downward loading of said pawl and ratchet means by theweight of said spring and mattress whereby the pawl engages in theratchet, said pawl and ratchet means including a series of ratchetopenings provided on the confronting portion of one of said members anda pawl fabricated of a springy material rigidly connected to theconfronting portion of the other of said members to project at an angletherefrom such that said pawl lrides over said series of ratchetopenings in either direction in response to extensile and retractilemovement of said members when said members are disposed substantiallycolinearly and such that said pawl engages said ratchet openings to locksaid members when said members are moved from a substantially colineardisposition to an angular disposition in response to downward loadingthereof by a spring and mattress.

3. An adjustable bed slat for use between opposed rails of a bed andadapted to support a spring and mattress comprising inner and outerchannel members arranged in telescopic relation relative to each otherfor extensile and retractile movement to various positions ofadjustment, said members including confronting base sections andcooperating pawl and ratchet means on the confronting base sections ofsaid members arranged to normally permit said extensile and retractilemovement and locking said members in said various positions ofadjustment in response to downward loading of said bed slat by theweight of said spring and mattress bearing against said opposed railswhereby said pawl engages and locks in said ratchet, said pawl beingstruck from the base section of the said outer channel member and saidratchet being .formed in the confronting base section of said innerchannel member and comprising a series of ratchet openings, said pawlbeing fabricated of a springy material and being rigidly connected tothe confronting base section of said outer channel member to project atan angle therefrom such that said pawl rides over said series of ratchetopenings in either direction in response to extensile and retractilemovement of said inner and outer channel members when said inner andouter channel members are disposed substantially colinearly and suchthat said pawl engages said ratchet openings to lock said inner andouter channel members when said inner and outer channel members aremoved from a substantially colinear disposition to an angulardisposition in response to downward loading thereof by a spring andmattress.

4. For use in combination with a bed including a frame having opposedrails and a spring and mattress supported on said rails, an adjustablebed slat comprising inner and outer channel members arranged intelescopic relation relative to each other for extensile and retractilemovement to various positions of adjustment, and cooperating pawl andratchet means on confronting portions of said members arranged tonormally permit said extensile and retractile movement and locking saidmembers in said various positions in response to downward loading ofpawl and ratchet means by the weight of said spring and mattress againstthe reaction force of said rails, said pawl and ratchet means includinga series of ratchet openings provided on the confronting portion of oneof said members and a pawl fabricated of a springy material rigidlyconnected to the confronting portion of the other of said members toproject at an angle therefrom such that said pawl rides over said seriesof ratchet openings in either direction in lresponse to extensile andretractile movement of said members when said members are disposedsubstantially colinearly and such that said pawl engages said ratchetopenings to lock said members when said members are moved from asubstantially colinear disposition to an angular disposition in responseto downward loading thereof by a spring and mattress.

5. An adjustable bed slat for use on metal and wood bed rails andadapted to support a spring and mattress comprising inner and outerchannel members, said inner channel member having one end extending intoone end of said outer channel member whereby said channel mem bers aremounted in telescopic relation relative to each other for extensiie andretractile movement to various positions of adjustment, cooperating pawland ratchet means adjacent said one end of said inner channel member andsaid one end of said outer channel member on confronting portionsthereof arranged to normally permit said extensile and retractilemovement and locking said members in said various positions in responseto downward loading of pawl and kratchet means by the Weight of saidspring and mattress bearing against said bed slat, and cleat meansintegrally formed on said one end of said inner channel member andintegrally formed on said one end of said outer channel member wherebyupon turning each of said channel members end for end and extending theother end of said inner channel member into the other end of said outerchannel member, said cleat means are disposed adjacent the opposite endsof said bed slat for engaging wood bed rails and said paw] and ratchetmeans are disengaged from each other, said pawl and ratchet meansincluding a series of ratchet openings provided on the confrontingportion of one of said members and a pawl fabricated of a springymaterial rigidly connected to the confronting portion of the other ofsaid members to project at an angle there `from such that said naw]rides over said series of ratchet openings in either direction inresponse to extensile and retractile movement of said members when saidmembers are disposed substantially colinearly and such that said pawlengages said ratchet openings to lock said members When said members aremoved from a substantially co linear disposition to an angular`disposition in response to `downward loading thereof by a spring andmattress.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 557,697Pettee Apr. 7, 1896 614,820 Anderson Nov. 29, 1898 616,000 Lowry Dec.13, 1898 1,035,765 Ballard Aug. 13, 1912 1,096,760 Rudolph May 12, 19141,504,807 Brotherton et a1. Aug. 12, 1924 '2,458,076 Houston I an. 4,1949 2,599,117 MaXson June 3, 1952 2,606,329 Connelly Aug. 12, 1952

